If you find that your house has been silent for a while, it is probably because your parrot is taking its daytime nap.
Parrots are quite active and noisy when they’re awake so it’s normal to get tired quickly after such energy expenditure.
On average, parrots sleep between 10-12 hours at night, however, they may still need to have a few short bouts of rest throughout the day.
A healthy parrot may nap a few times during the day. These are usually for a short duration and the parrot may be half-awake.
Quick Navigation
Is It Normal For Parrots To Sleep During The Day?
Parrots sleep a lot more than we do. Most parrots spend about half of their day sleeping – that is 12 hours out the 24 hours. Baby parrots and older parrots may sleep up to 14-16 hours a day.
In addition to their long night slumber which lasts about 10-12 hours, parrots also take short naps.
The rest of the time parrots spend on activities like playing, eating, and chirping. Unlike other pets, you wouldn’t ever notice a parrot just perched in one position doing nothing.
When awake, they like to make the most of their active time. This is probably the reason they need so much rest.
However, parrots don’t sleep for too long during the day. A typical short nap normally lasts anywhere between 30 minutes to an hour.
If your parrot seems to be sleeping more often than usual, it can be a concerning matter. Sleeping an excessive amount of time or taking too frequent naps can indicate health problems in parrots.
Many health conditions can lead to excessive sleeping in parrots. A parrot that is sick will generally feel lethargic most of the time and as a result, take to resting more often.
If you find that your parrot is showing symptoms of being ill, you should immediately take it to an avian vet.
Do Parrots Sleep With Their Eyes Open?
It is not uncommon for parrots to sleep with their eyes open. Parrots have the uncanny ability to sleep without letting their guard down. This is a behavioral trait developed in the wild that helps parrots keep an eye out for predators.
This is referred to as unihemispheric sleep or peeking. It is when a parrot is sleeping while one side of its brain remains awake and alert. It allows them to rest while still staying partially awake to be aware of their surroundings and potential dangers.
So, while one side of their brain sleeps, the other side stays active, helping them maintain essential functions like breathing and muscle function. You may notice its chest gently rising and falling as it breathes softly or even see its head twitch a little bit.
When Do Parrots Sleep During Daytime?
The absence of chirps and squawks that you are used to hearing so often tells you that your feathered friend has dozed off. But what time of the day do parrots sleep?
Parrots do not have a fixed time for sleeping during the daytime but they are more likely to sleep during certain situations.
After Meals
Parrot commonly take their power nap after eating their first big meal of the day. This is because eating usually induces sleep. It may also be due to the fact that digestion requires energy.
After Bath
Parrots can also feel a little sleepy after they’ve just taken a bath. Taking a bath can be refreshing but parrots need to spend a considerable amount of effort in drying themselves.
They also have to preen themselves after getting wet and align each of the feathers like they were. This can put them in the mood to doze off again for a little while.
During Rainy Weather
The cold temperatures of the rainy season can have a sedating effect on parrots, just like it does on many other animals.
The cozy weather may make them feel a bit drowsy and inclined to seek warmth. You would notice them tucking their beaks in their feathers and lowering their eyelids to fall asleep.
During Summers
Parrots may take afternoon naps more frequently during summer months because of the shorter duration of the night. Since their sleeping patterns are based mainly on the time it remains dark outside, parrots instinctively sleep less in the summer months. As a result, they have less time to complete their fill and compensate by taking short naps during the daylight hours.
Why Do Parrots Sleep During The Day?
If you see that your parrot has been sleeping a lot more lately, it may not be that it is lazy. Excessive daytime sleep in parrots can have various causes. Let’s look at some of the reasons:
They’re Young
Young ones tend to sleep a lot more than adult parrots due to their developmental needs. During their early stages of life, parrots require more sleep to support their growth and development.
Sleeping helps their bodies rest and recover from their active periods, as well as acquire the necessary skills. Baby parrots may sleep up to 16 hours a day.
Sleep Deprivation Or Inadequate Sleep At Night
The need for having a proper sleeping schedule for your parrot cannot be stressed enough. You need to provide your parrot undisturbed sleep consistently for their better health and mood.
Adult parrots need around 10-12 hours of sleep in an undisturbed and dark environment. In case the parrot does not get a sufficient amount of sleep on a regular basis, it will become irritated, aggressive, and sleepy during the day.
Sleep deprivation can also have negative effects on the parrot’s health if it continues for long enough. Daytime naps cannot make up for the undisturbed sleep parrots need to have at night. So, it is important you build a routine and sleeping schedule for your parrot.
Night Frights
Nightmares are a common occurrence among parrots. A common reason why it occurs is when parrots wake up in the night and see objects differently in the dark room. This is why, it is recommended to provide a completely dark environment to your parrots.
You do not necessarily have to cover your parrot’s cage to create darkness in the room. Closing the blinds and turning off all lights will suffice. Parrots do not need a night lamp or any kind of dim light.
You should also remove all small objects and toys from inside their cages every night to make sure they don’t scare themselves.
Some common behaviors associated with night frights in parrots include:
- Falling off the perch,
- Thrashing or flapping wings to get out of the cage
- Throwing toys
- Jumping frantically
- Scratching cage bars or newspapers in the cage.
Exercise
The only time parrots get the time to relax is when they’re sleeping. Other times, you’ll rarely catch them taking a timeout. Parrots also require exercise as part of their daily routine.
You should spend at least 20-30 exercising your parrots. However, if their workout gets a little too intense, they may get tired and feel like sleeping.
Stress Levels
Prolonged stress in parrots can be extremely physically taxing. If a parrot is under stress, it will be lethargic and more inclined to sleep. You may also notice your parrot being less active when they’re stressed.
Molting
Parrots can become lethargic and sleepy right before they start to molt. This is because the energy required for growing new feathers can have an effect on their physical health. Even though it is a natural process, it can be a tough time for parrots to go through.
A parrot usually molts once or twice a year. When going through a molt, their bodies simply require additional rest as it requires a significant amount of energy.
In fact, sleep plays a vital role in the molting process as it allows the parrot’s body to conserve and efficiently distribute nutrients for the regeneration of feathers. So it is completely normal for you to see your parrot seeing more when they’re molting.
Health Issues
If you cannot associate the above reason with your parrot sleeping too much, it could be possible that your parrot is unwell. Various illnesses can contribute to excessive daytime sleepiness in parrots.
Unfortunately, parrots have the instinct of hiding their sickness so you might not have been able to notice their symptoms. But if the parrot appears to be ill, it means it can no longer hide its weakness.
A parrot that is sick will have fluffed feathers, lethargy, a reduced appetite, and even trouble perching. If your parrot goes to the bottom of the cage and sleeps all day, it can be a sign that it is sick. In this case, you should not delay in taking your parrot to an avian vet.
